Kemono Friends

Version 1.4 By Cataquack Warrior

Welcome to Japari Park! It is a zoological park like none other, with all sorts of areas based on different environments. Here, you’ll find Friends, animals given the form of human girls through the mysterious power of the local Sandstar. Unfortunately, all the humans fled after an outbreak of dangerous Ceruleans, but the Friends are doing their best to make things safe and fun for everyone. There’s so much to do, so let’s go! You start with 1000 Japari Points (JP)

Location

Anyway, let’s get started! You are starting out in the Kyoshu Region, but there are multiple biomes to explore on this island. Roll to determine your location or pay 50 JP to choose.

1. Savanna Area- A vast African veldt with tall grass, baobab trees, and intense heat. There aren’t many human structures left in this area, so most of the Friends here have to be self-reliant for the most part.

2. Jungle Area- A hot and humid rainforest with a massive river running through the middle of it. There used to be a bridge connecting the two areas, but it has suffered some damage over the years. 3

3. Alpine Area- A set of rocky mountains adjacent to the Jungle zone. Unlike the Snowy Mountains region, the climate is relatively moderate, and there are few plants on the rugged cliffs. If you manage to reach the top by climbing or using the cable car, you will find a grassy plateau and a quiet little café.

4. Desert Area- A vast area containing a mix of sand dunes, rocks, and other various features found in deserts throughout the world. Sandstorms are very common, so if you see one coming, seek shelter in the underground passageways left behind by the humans.

5. Lake Shore Area- A temperate mix of forest, lakes, and meadows. 4

6. Plains Area- A second grassland area, without the heat and high grass of the savanna. Be careful: the territory is in the middle of a “war” between the Lion and Bull Moose factions, and new arrivals will be treated suspiciously.

7. Forest Area- Densely filled with tall trees all around, the area conceals the Library, where you can learn about all sorts of animals. You might be able to find the library if you solve some puzzles, but that might get you drafted into cooking for the owls; otherwise, you can take the alternate route there.

8. Waterfront Area- Many aquatic friends live in this large expanse of water, ranging from lakes to swamps to replications of seashore environs. Maybe you can get a ticket to PPP’s latest pop idol concert. 5

9. Snowy Mountain Area- Everything in this polar climate, from the mountains to the trees to the ground, is covered in white, but many animals still call this place home. There is a hot spring in the mountains so you can warm up, but watch out for blizzards as you travel through the passes!

10. Sandstar Mountain- Towering above the whole park, this massive volcano at the center of the park regularly erupts not with lava but with Sandstar! It’s a sacred place for the Friends – and dangerous with Ceruleans emerging there – so you might not want to stick around there for too long.

11. Sunrise Harbor- An abandoned coastal port that once connected the island to places beyond. 6

12. Amusement Park- An old-fashioned amusement park, complete with a Ferris wheel. Though the rides have deteriorated, they are still perfectly safe (mostly), and the area is a great gathering place for Friends.

13. Free Choice – Pick whichever part of the park you like.

Background

So, exactly what kind of animal are you?

Drop-In- You come as you were from before this jump.

Friend- Choose any animal species known to exist in the present, past, or myth. You are now a human(ish) girl in clothes resembling that animal. Clothes that, despite being able to come off, functions, like their normal fur, horns, wings, tails, etc. Truly, the Sandstar that gave these animals intelligence and human form is a remarkable mystery. You can also select a creature that existed in a previous jump. However, exceptionally powerful beings are not allowed, and your choice must be an actual species rather than a unique individual. If you pay 200 JP, you can choose a creature that is singular or powerful, like the Azure Dragon of Chinese mythology.

Human Friend- A human who was turned into a Friend by contact with Sandstar. Functionally, your body and abilities are pretty much like that of a mundane human’s, but internally you are energized by the magic of the Sandstar flowing through you. 8

Lucky Beast- Small robots meant to serve as park mascots and guides. Even though the humans are now gone, these dedicated workers continue to do their best to keep things going.

Human- You’re a human-human – quite a rare thing these days since the evacuation.

Cerulean- Inorganic matter given life of sorts by Sandstar, these unsettling monsters terrorize the abandoned park and search for anyone with Sandstar energy to absorb.

Perks

Every creature has its own special abilities, it’s just a matter of finding the talent just right for you. All discounts are 50% off.

Revival from the Heart (100 JP, Free Drop-In)- Given how the game app and manga weren’t a big hit, and the low budget for the production (not to mention only 10 staff members total), it’s a miracle that the makers of the anime produced such a beautiful work. You can take preexisting franchises and produce a related work that is a hit with people due to the way that it touches the “heart” of the story in a way that touches audiences. The success rate of the perk increases inversely with the success of the preexisting franchise, such that you are most able to give strength to failing series. The success rate also rises with the lower number of individuals involved in the production, though that inverse growth tapers if you go lower than 5 staff members including yourself).

Please Don’t Eat Me! (200 JP, Discount Drop-In)- No, I’m not going to eat you! The perk makes other living beings disinterested in eating you or attacking you in general, whether they are wild animals or intelligent beings. They might still eat you if they are especially hungry or provoked, but if they don’t need to eat right away or have other options, they will avoid eating you or attacking.

Quick Cavalry (300 JP, Discount Drop-In)- The time it takes you and allies to reach a destination sharply decreases depending on the level of urgency. If you don’t really have a strong desire to not be late, the perk won’t be as effective, but if you know that a person’s life is at stake and want to get there in time, for example, your travel time would fall drastically so you can make it in time.

Kid-Friendly (400 JP, Discount Drop-In)- The Friends in Japari Park are quite hardy, even for wild animals. Physical damage you and nearby allies (within a 50 meter radius) take from accidents and natural disasters is significantly reduced, such that things like falling off a mountain or getting thrown around in a sandstorm are more like comedic inconveniences than dangerous hazards. The perk does not protect you from people and things actively seeking to 10 harm you, but if the actual damage is caused by a natural element (being thrown off a cliff, someone causing a tree to fall on you, etc.) you will still be protected. Also, the perk is less effective in protecting you from artificial things such as technology and magic, though the full degree of protection might remain intact if said aspects are assimilated into the natural environment (a decaying building absorbed by plant growth, a habitat where magic is a natural part of the ecosystem, etc.).

Pop Quiz Preview (600 JP, Discount Drop-In)- Every night when you go to sleep, you will have a brief, one-minute dream in which cardboard representations of the PPP penguin idol team (or another pop idol group of your choice) discuss information on a species of animal. The talk is rather funny and cutesy, but it always has some factual information. You will remember the dream when you wake up, so make sure you remember this: you will encounter the species mentioned in the dream at some point in the next 24 hours. If you were not going to have any big encounters with animals in the next day, the perk will create such an opportunity for you. Whatever information you receive about the animal will be invaluable in handling your interactions with the creature when you meet. Moreover, the perk will give you enhanced luck in making a positive first impression that is good for both parties (you and the animal).

Self-Reliant (100 JP, Free Friend)- The rule here in Japari Park is that you must fend for yourself. You are able to survive on your own in wild and abandoned areas as long as basic necessities are available, using your natural instincts. Plus, you find great enjoyment in living out in the wilderness, such that you can remain positive and enthusiastic even while dealing with the various trials that come with that sort of lifestyle. In that regard, you can live in relative isolation from others without feeling depressed; this does not mean that you are antisocial, and you can still easily connect with people you encounter – you just don’t have to depend on their presence to find comfort.

Diversity of Friends (200 JP, Discount Friend)- Don’t be discouraged if you seem to fail at things; different Friends are good at different things. You are able to get the people around you to discover and take pride in the special gifts they have as individuals, and help them accept and welcome how others have different gifts. People will gradually stop disliking how they’re different, and instead enjoy the little things that connect them and the unique ways each individual shines. Furthermore, you yourself will be able to more easily recognize and draw on your own personal talents, particularly abilities based on your physical form.

Builder (300 JP, Discount Friend)- You have an innate skill in building different structures, both natural kinds and human designs. You automatically know the building requirements for different structures just by seeing an image, and you can easily come up with ideas for structures that suit the environment around you. You are also a natural builder, and you can quickly get to work constructing the buildings once you’re pointed in the right direction, such that you can complete construction assignments in half the time it would normally take you and others.

Wild Release (400 JP, Discount Friend)- A special state that Friends can enter to unleash their full power on foes; it is best noted for making your eyes glow. Your physical abilities are significantly enhanced and any natural and battle instincts you have are likewise heightened. Moreover, you are able to better access any natural skills that come with your body, even if you 11 normally had difficulty unlocking them. Plus, any attacks you make will be enhanced with the energy of Sandstar for extra damage; you can also channel this power to weapons you are wielding. However, this form is only temporary, as it requires burning energy sources from within your body to function. The perk will automatically shut down when your energy levels start to go beyond a healthy level, so you don’t have to worry about draining yourself dry by mistake, but afterwards you will be unable to access the power until you replenish your energy supplies enough; plus, while you’ll still have some energy left, it won’t be a lot.

Natural Clothing (600 JP, Discount Friend)- The “clothes” that Friends wear are quite unique. On the one hand, they are truly clothing, and can be taken off if needed. Yet they are also clearly an extension of the Friends’ natural physical features; maybe that’s why they never get dirty or worn out like normal clothes. You can now selectively transform key physical features of your body into fashionable clothing; your body adjusts so it seems normal that they are clothes – for instance, turning your claws into gloves would give you human hands that could wear the gloves. If you change to a different physical form, your body will reset to normal when you turn back unless you choose otherwise; however, if you have removed the clothes from your body before changing, they will remain intact as separate items. In addition, when you switch from one form to another, you can have the key physical features accompany you to your new body as clothes. The clothes retain any natural and special features the original body parts had; to give an example, clothes that originate from a dragon’s scales would retain the same level of physical and magical defense as the original skin, and a hat originating from a beholder’s eye stalks would retain the stalks’ ray powers. Each piece of clothing is specially made to fit your body perfectly; this unfortunately means that while you could feasibly loan the items to other people, they will never fit them quite right. You can also sometimes turn your body parts into weapons you can wield, such as making a paw into a large club with a paw-like implement at the end or a horn into a scimitar.

Human Intuition (100 JP, Free Human Friend)- Humans lack the natural instincts of wild animals that would normally transfer over to Friends, so you instead unconsciously draw on human knowledge. Whenever the information is relevant to resolving a present problem, you can instantly recall any mundane, technical skill that was available to humans in the 20th century. For instance, when there is no way to move something across a large river you may remember how to make a rudimentary rope bridge, or if a singer looks for advice on singing you can tell her how to keep her throat healthy. Since the perk is unconscious, the insights will still come into play if you have amnesia. However, you cannot selectively access the information in your head, and it instead just comes up when it is relevant.

Soundproof (200 JP, Discount Human Friend)- You are not affected by loud or aggravating noises, including songs sung by people. To you, they will just sound like regular sounds. This also means that you are resistant to negative effects that songs, music, and sounds, including magical ones, would normally impose on listeners.

Welcome Advisor (300 JP, Discount Human Friend)- You have a knack for getting people to listen to and try your ideas, such that they are willing to try out tactics that they have continually dismissed in the past. Even leaders of groups will accept the advice you have for both them and 12 their followers without being offended. People might stop listening to your ideas if they repeatedly fail, though.

Bridging the Gap (400 JP, Discount Human Friend)- Most of the Friends live in their own habitats, but you have a way of connecting them together and getting them to work together. The people you befriend, no matter the distance and differences from each other, will now be more open to each other and be willing to cooperate and build new bonds. This will allow them to use their personal skills and abilities to complement each other’s. You also encourage people to explore new places and ideas, to go past their comfortable zone to find something more.

I’m Still Here (600 JP, Discount Human Friend)- For most Friends, whose strength and self- identity comes from the magic of the Sandstar, returning to their earlier selves is terrifying. But for someone that was human to begin with, it’s not as much of a step back. With this perk, you are able to more easily recover from occurrences that limit, steal, or otherwise inhibit powers you have gained. You’ll be able to more easily retain the character and knowledge you had when you were all the way powered up, and you can easily adapt to life without your powers instead of being shocked or disoriented. And in cases where a lost ability could be feasibly performed by your body, you can find ways to utilize those abilities even when they are locked away, though they may lack special benefits that the power normally has.

Boss (100 JP, Free Lucky Beast)- People feel inclined to recognize you as someone who can assist them and who they can defer to with respect, even if you are completely silent and non- communicative.

Animal Encyclopedia (200 JP, Discount Lucky Beast)- You have comprehensive knowledge of all animal species known on Earth. You receive new information whenever you encounter a new creature not found on Earth, but this only works on natural species; in the case of an artificially- made lifeform, your encyclopedia perk will instead identify it as the nearest natural equivalent. You also gain encyclopedia entries for different habitats, ecosystems, and biomes, with similar update capabilities.

Obstacle Navigation (300 JP, Discount Lucky Beast)- When the perk is active, you can automatically detect the full terrain around you within a 30 foot radius. This allows you to perfectly walk around the area without being surprised by even minor roots or bumps in the trail. Heck, you could walk backwards and talk to people, and still know when you need to hop over something. Only accounts for inanimate obstacles, not mobile ones like living things.

Map Download (400 JP, Discount Lucky Beast)- You can download the most recent map made of whatever area you are currently in. The whole map is encoded into your memories such that you will perfectly remember all of the details. Even if the map is in another language, you will automatically understand it. However, the ability does not indicate things existing outside of the map. Moreover, the perk depends on there being a map to download; in the case that nobody has successfully mapped the region, or if the map is outdated, you’ll be out of luck.

Call for Help (600 JP, Discount Lucky Beast)- Sometimes, you need help from your friends – the question is how to let them know that you need help. With this perk, you can mentally 13 contact as many people as you wish and give them a brief message and an innate sense of your current location. You can only contact people that you have directly interacted with enough to form some sort of bond or friendship. This message can reach everyone no matter the distance and even if all other forms of communication won’t work.

Tamer (100 JP, Free Human)- It’s a hard enough challenge for zoologists to handle wild animals, and it’s even harder when they become sapient. You are excellent at taming and handling creatures and beings with at least some level of a “wild” nature, such that you can even teach them new things and get them to relatively follow your lead in things.

Natural Harmony (200 JP, Discount Human)- It’s amazing how so many different animals live in the park without coming into conflict with each other. The perk lets you create a harmonious aura covering a 1-kilometer radius around your position, moving to adjust to your location. It makes individuals feel more prone to cooperation as long as they aren’t directly threatened by others. It’s possible to resist the compulsion if you are strong-willed or adamant, but the effect increases the less sapient the subjects are, such that wild animals, both predators and prey, could quickly become friends working together and tolerating each other’s presence. The effect fades if subjects are no longer in the radius, but enough exposure makes subjects more inclined to peaceful harmony even without the aura directly affecting them.

Cloning (300 JP, Discount Human)- Sadly, many animals in the future have since become extinct. So one solution is to clone more of them, only that’s kind of a problem when you don’t have anything to clone from. But that’s no longer a concern. You are able to clone species without needing any genetic material (though it certainly helps). Essentially, the very knowledge of the species’ history serves as the genesis for the clone. The more you know about the original species – biological information, pictures, organic remains, etc. – the closer the clone will be to its predecessor. This also means that you could feasibly “clone” creatures that never existed – rumored cryptids like the tsuchinoko, mythical beasts like the unicorn, etc. On the other hand, the lack of information will mean that the “clone” will likely be very different from how it should have been; if it turns out that said creature really existed, don’t expect your imagination- designed clone to be quite like it. Moreover, all clones are mundane, natural versions of the copied species, with no magical capabilities; that said, mother nature is known for having a lot of strange surprises. In addition, these clones are noted by their “foggy” eyes, which become more noticeable the more they branch from reality.

Habitat Maker/Preserver (400 JP, Discount Human)- Japari Park’s terraformed ecosystems, all existing in harmony together, are a testament to how far humanity has come, offering new hope that we can make up for the habitats we damaged in the past. You have the knowledge on how to create full-fledged habitats that are able to function for as long as you like, even when the setting would not normally sustain such a biome – in fact, the habitat will naturally resist any efforts to alter it too much beyond the overall environment you set up, unless you oversee the transition. It generally takes a month of mundane work to install the environment – possibly more if someone or something is actively opposing your efforts – but you can speed up the time or reduce the need for physical materials/labor by drawing upon your inner magic or other energies for a boost. You start out able to create any environment that has existed on real-life 14

Earth, but you can potentially gain the power to recreate abnormal biomes as long as you have spent at least a month within that habitat.

Enduring Legacy (600 JP, Discount Human)- Sometimes the greatest test of what you make is how it lasts when you are gone. Whether it’s buildings, institutions, or civilizations, you have a way of ensuring that the systems will keep running in a relatively positive fashion if you or other support structures vanish. Oh, conditions will still deteriorate to some degree, but things will in time reach a stable equilibrium that retains the system’s original intent. For instance, buildings with electricity and plumbing will shut down as they lose their needed support network, but malfunctions that would normally emerge over time (fires, flooding, building collapses, etc.) will be far more minimal than they normally would. Should conditions improve, it will generally be easy to return the structures to their original function. Similarly, a group that you lead will retain its sense of direction and stability with you gone, and in a good way. Things might revert to a more primitive lifestyle to meet the reduced resources, but it will be as you would have liked it to be, rather than some kind of dystopia. It also works in more short-term scenarios; for example, should you be incapacitated in the middle of an operation you’ve orchestrated, your partners will still be able to continue with your plan.

Sandstar Sapper (100 JP, Free Cerulean)- You are able to drain various forms of energy from target through physical contact and convert it into a form you can use. The draining requires continual physical contact to work.

Fragmentation (200 JP, Discount Cerulean)- You can convert your body into a set of building blocks that can separate and function independently as you see fit. Each block has access to any powers you have that are not restricted to specific physical parts of your normal body, but their power will be subdivided to match the number of divisions. You won’t die as long as at least one block is intact, but be careful about converting back to your normal body; since each block represents a part of your original body, the loss of a lot of blocks could have significant consequences if you shift back without regenerating them first.

Sparkle Steal (300 JP, Discount Cerulean)- You can steal “Sparkles” from targets. A Sparkle is an intangible good thing that is an integral part of the person, such as friendship, hope, or the ability to speak. If you have taken the sparkle of someone, you can transform into a body similar to the victim, though you still retain physical traits of the form you had prior to the change; to make your transformation near perfect, you’ll need to take many Sparkles. If the victims work hard enough, they can rebuild and regenerate their Sparkles internally.

Finding Your Own Heart (400 JP, Discount Cerulean)- You retain a sense of individual identity that allows you to resist being mind-controlled or assimilated into a hive consciousness. It also allows you to develop powers like Sparkles that are based on the metaphorical heart, even when such things should be impossible due to a darkened or incomplete soul; for instance, you could use abilities that stem from the heart, or even gain a heart, when you are a being that lacks a heart/soul.

Ceru Harmony (600 JP, Discount Cerulean)- This power causes all allies in a one mile radius to evolve (transform) into a more powerful form. Said upgrade is permanent unless the affected 15 individuals choose to return to their previous form. Although you can activate this power at will, the ability is incredibly straining on you if done extensively.

Items

The Friends aren’t always the best with craftmanship, but there’s still plenty of interesting things to find if you go exploring – the true value is in the eyes of the beholder, after all. All discounts are 50% off. Unless stated otherwise, all items that are lost or destroyed will reappear in the Warehouse within a month’s time.

Japari Coin Collection (Free)- A bunch of various “Japari Coins” that were used as tokens when the park was still operating. They’re quite rare now. They don’t have much value aside from potential use/trading within the park, though.

Kemono Collection (50 JP, Free Drop-In)- A complete set of the anime, dubbed and subbed for any languages of your choice. This includes not only the “official” second season and Welcome to the JAPARI Park, but also a hypothetical continuation from Tatsuki and the original humble but dedicated staff. You additionally get the manga, along with a large collection of figurines, posters, and other memorabilia.

Japari Hot Spring and Game Corner (100 JP, Discount Drop-In)- This traditional Japanese- style building comes with a deluxe set of hot springs, as well as a video game console complete with a TV for relaxing after you’re finished with a soak in the onsen. The game console has a variety of fun video games that were made for visitors to play at the park, and it also comes with an expanded version of the series’ games, in any language(s) of your choice.

Zoo Gigs (200 JP, Discount Drop-In)- You can now easily make arrangements with zoos, aquariums, parks, and other nature-related facilities to find work if you need a job or, if you have a business or product, use it to help the place with publicity exhibits that are mutually beneficial.

Zoo Pass (400 JP, Discount Drop-In)- With this pass, you and anyone else in your party can visit any zoo, botanical garden, national park, wildlife preserve, or other accessible destination that has some sort of nature theme. It also gives you a considerable discount on the food, souvenirs, and other purchases within the sites, as well as VIP access to any special features like back-stage 17 tours. And don’t worry about your free passes hurting the zoos; whenever you visit, a fair-sized amount of money will be generated from thin air and anonymously donated to the facility.

Amusement Park (600 JP, Discount Drop-In)- You now own a large albeit abandoned amusement park. Despite being in neglected condition, the park and its attractions are still relatively safe and usable. Overall, the park, partially consumed by nature, has an eerie yet nostalgic feel to it. The park is attached to your Warehouse and can be summoned in other jumps to a location of your choice. In addition, you can gain ownership of a new theme park native to each jump you are in.

Horse Pellets (50 JP, Free Friend)- A special type of feed originally developed for horse-type Friends. However, like Japari Buns the pellets are designed to be edible for everyone. When eaten, you’ll get a temporary boost to your speed, agility, and physical endurance.

Samurai Castle (100 JP, Discount Friend)- A classical samurai fortress, complete with all the usual gimmicks – and a giant slide, for some reason. People entering the castle will view you, the owner, with a sense of fear and awe.

Lodge Campo (200 JP, Discount Friend)- An extensive arrangement of treehouse-style complexes atop towering trees, this hotel is a great place to spend the night. The room has many different styles of rooms to appeal to the tastes of different guests, and it is especially attractive to people who enjoys naturalistic feels to things while still having a sophisticated flair. The lodge is attached to your Warehouse and can be summoned in other jumps to a location of your choice.

Café (400 JP, Discount Friend)- A small but welcoming café that has an old-fashioned bar counter and is regularly stocked with coffee, tea, and other essentials (they resupply when you run out). The café’s electricity is powered by solar panels on top, and there is an outlet you can charge things with. The café is able to remain functional and safe no matter where you put it, even if it were to be at the top of a mountain or in the middle of a bog. In addition, the grassy lawn in front of the café has a special cut pattern to it (which remains unchanging); anyone who looks down on the grass from above will see a coffee cup and pointing to the café, and automatically know that there is a café below. The café is attached to your Warehouse and can be summoned in other jumps to a location of your choice.

Japari Library (600 JP, Friend)- A fair-sized, decrepit building that has a large tree growing out through a hole in the center. Despite the exposure, the interior, which is a library, remains in relatively good condition. Furthermore, all books on the shelves are automatically protected from water, fire, and other things that could damage books. The library comes stocked with all of the books from the real Japari Library, including many books on humans and animals as well as manga and stories created by local Friends. The library can be accessed from your Warehouse, and it can be summoned in a location of your choice in each jump. The library automatically updates to add a random selection of books about nature and humans for each jump it is imported too. The interior of the library expands to account for all the books, but on the outside it remains a decent-sized building.

Paper Airplane (50 JP, Discount Human Friend)- A simple brochure map of Japari Park that can easily be folded into a paper airplane. Throw this paper airplane, and enemies will focus their concentration on the paper airplane until it lands, giving you and your allies a chance to make a critical strike. Just be careful that the airplane doesn’t fly somewhere you don’t want your enemies to look.

Torch (100 JP, Discount Human Friend)- A torch that, when lit, makes all enemies focus on attacking the torch’s holder and ignore other targets.

Beach Ball (200 JP, Discount Human Friend)- A colorful beach ball that easily balances on your head; you can also tie it to other parts of your body if you like. When someone is wearing the beach ball, opponents find themselves compelled to knock off, deflate, or destroy the ball before attacking any other part of the holder.

Concert Tickets (400 JP, Discount Human Friend)- A set of tickets that allows you and friends of your choice if you so wish (no more than 12 at a time) VIP-level access (handshakes included!) to concerts and other performance-related events. The tickets also grant you backstage tours, private events with the performers, and other special bonuses.

Hat (600 JP, Discount Human Friend)- A somewhat-weathered safari hat with two colorful feathers attached. When wearing this hat, mechanical beings/systems are more inclined to view you as friendly; while you can’t order them around, and they may take defensive action if you directly oppose their objectives, they’ll categorize you as a friend and may give you assistance/access you otherwise might not qualify for.

Japari Bus (50 JP, Free Lucky Beast)- A decent-sized, rickety bus that can probably carry about 8 people at a time, maybe more if you scrunch people together. While the bus is a little old, it is very reliable and never runs out of fuel. The different pieces that make up the bus are very durable, and at most an attack could separate the components from each other. The components themselves cannot be damaged, and they can be put back together to reform the bus with enough work. If the bus is fragmented and not regathered within a month, the repaired bus will reappear in your Warehouse. The bus can also function as a boat.

Star Beast Suit (100 JP, Discount Lucky Beast)- Before the Lucky Beast line of robots was created, Japari Park’s mascots were the “Star Beasts”, giant reddish raccoons that were actually humans in bulky costumes. You can now don such an outfit. When you do, you are surrounded by an aura of good fortune that blesses you and those you interact with.

Quiz Forest (200 JP, Discount Lucky Beast)- A forest maze designed to test guests’ knowledge of animals. It is a thick forest with a single path leading into it. While you can go around the forest if such is possible, to pass through the forest you must take the branch-covering path; any attempt to just walk amongst the trees will have you end up at the beginning. As you progress through the “tunnel” of trees, you will eventually reach junctions with a true/false question written on a plaque at the fork. The text will direct you to take one of the two available paths depending on your answer. If you take the correct route, you will progress further into the maze, but if you take the wrong way, you will end up back at the start of the maze. All of the questions 19 will be about animals and nature-related topics. If you wish, you can change some of the checkpoints to be “multiple choice” questions with up to four possible paths. You can import the forest to a location of your choice each jump; in addition, the questions will update to feature topics suitable for the current setting.

Pavilion (400 JP, Discount Lucky Beast)- A large domed building that contains a set of interactive video/virtual reality screens linked to the area outside the pavilion. You can place probes anywhere within 50 miles of the Pavilion, and each camera probe also contains food and toys. The camera itself is hidden, allowing you to watch creatures and people move about in the vicinity of each probe as if you were really there.

Four Gods Sandstar Filtration System (600 JP, Discount Lucky Beast)- A set of four statues representing the “Four Gods” protecting Japari Park, each of them holding a plaque with a symbol of the corresponding god. If the four are aligned in four separate, cardinal direction and catch the sun’s light, they will create a force field that surrounds the space between them. The barrier does not inhibit physical things from moving in and out, but it does seal away any energy sources within the area, ensuring that they can’t go anywhere. If any of the components is moved out of position, the field dissipates. Even if the statues were to be damaged, the plaques are all that you need to make the barrier activate.

Japari Buns (50 JP, Free Human)- A tasty morsel resembling manju and branded with Japari Park’s logo, this special food is designed to provide all nutrients that the eater’s body needs, and it is healthy and edible for all lifeforms. You have a steady supply of these buns and also know how to grow and prepare the ingredients.

Visor (100 JP, Discount Human)- A small visor/set of glasses that you can wear on your face. The scanner is able to spot and identify a wide variety of natural things like footprints, rock types, and plant uses. Plus, it can detect and trace energy sources around you.

Purifying Salt (200 JP, Discount Human)- A bag of salt that will instantly kill a Cerulean if sprayed on it at point-blank range. The salt is also highly effective against beings that embody negative emotions.

Underground Labyrinth (400 JP, Discount Human)- A large, mudbrick structure that has a single, open door leading into an atrium chamber. As soon as people enter the first chamber, assuming that the door is not jammed open, the door slams shut. The door will not reopen until someone finds the hidden exit, which takes you to an open-air garden/fountain area. That’s easier said than done, though, as the torch-lit corridors, gauntlet of wooden walls, and other features reveal the building’s labyrinthine design. The maze also has various traps, such as stone bridges that crumble if you step on the wrong side. You automatically know the route through the labyrinth and the various traps (unless you want to be surprised/challenged). The traps/mazes gradually regenerate and change slightly over time to keep things new. The labyrinth was intended for entertainment, so people will not normally be harmed while exploring unless they are hostile/enemies. The structure is attached to your Warehouse and can be summoned in other jumps to a location of your choice. 20

Sandstar Syringe (600 JP, Discount Human)- A hygienically-sanitized syringe containing Sandstar energy. When injected into a living creature’s body, the subject will transform into a Friend. There’s only room for five doses in the syringe, but it reloads after a year has passed.

Dark Hunters (50 JP, Free Cerulean)- A squad of five shadowy Ceruleans. They exhibit more complex and dangerous behavior and powers than the average Cerulean, and they are ruthless in catching prey. Fortunately, they view you as their master and will follow your every order.

Sandstar Monolith (100 JP, Discount Cerulean)- A giant boulder made of raw Sandstar. When placed on the ground, it temporarily merges with the earth. Its energy therefore reaches out through the surrounding area (within a 100-meter radius) and will automatically flow into you to restore your health and vitality as long as you are touching the earth in the given range.

Four Gods Cerulean (200 JP, Discount Cerulean)- A Cerulean that takes the form of one of the mythical “Four Gods” Friends in the park. In addition to having strong fighting abilities, it can increase the united spirit of nearby allies.

Cumper (400 JP, Discount Cerulean)- A Cerulean that imprinted on you and used your soul as a rough blueprint for its design. Unlike most Ceruleans, it has a form somewhat resembling your own, though more as a silhouette; in time, it may take a more solid form, albeit one that seems to be composed of glowing energy. It has slow and awkward speech patterns but can get better over time. Your counterpart may start out fairly week, but by absorbing enough energy it can become very powerful indeed.

Cerulean Infuser (600 JP, Discount Cerulean)- A stone infused with Sandstar. When the stone is pressed against an inorganic material, the material in question will transform into a Cerulean. Their power and skills will vary considerably depending on the exact makeup of the material you animate. Unlike normal Ceruleans, the ones produced with the stone follow your commands and are incapable of reproducing. Also, you can selectively turn off the stone’s power when you want to avoid creating extra Ceruleans.

Tokyo Race Course (100 JP)- A massive set of building complexes, tunnels, museums, play areas, and race tracks for the purpose of racing horses and later horse-type Friends. The buildings are in a semi-neglected state but remain functional and has a number of horse-type Friends present. The race complex will become a highly-popular destination for athletes and racers wishing to test their mettle. The race course is attached to your Warehouse and can be summoned in other jumps to a location of your choice.

Copaiba Tree Sap (150 JP)- Sap taken from a copaiba tree, which was enhanced by Sandstar. The energized sap temporarily boosts any special abilities you have. Unfortunately, the sap also temporarily enhances any negative traits/abilities you possess. For instance, if you tended to give off a stench, it would get even worse, and an elemental weakness would be heightened.

Companions

Remember, when things get too hard, it’s okay to ask for help from your friends. When friends work together, they can accomplish amazing things.

My Dear Friends (50/300 JP)- For 50 JP per person, you can gain new companions or import old companions. Each companion gets a free background and 600 JP to spend.

Kemono Cast (100 JP)- For 100 JP apiece, you can take any character from the series as a companion.

Old Friends You’ve Just Met (200 JP)- Someone you were close to but died, whether in this jump or in your original life, had a small speck of their remains end up in Japari Park, where the Sandstar brought them to life again as a Friend. The revived person is an entirely new individual, but they have similarities to the deceased being, and you will as if by fate encounter and befriend them, making new happy memories together. The individual’s form may be significantly altered to account for being reborn as a Friend.

Drawbacks

Even in this wild paradise, not everything is happy all the time. Sometimes things can get scary, but stay strong! You can take up to +600 JP in drawbacks; taking the bonus challenge enables you to get +300 JP extra in addition to that limit.

The Lost Dream (+0 JP)- The world is as it would be if Tatsuki, director of the first season, had not been forced out of the project thanks to corrupt executive meddling. Nothing from after his departure like the “official” second season will exist in the jump unless you specifically want it to.

The Love of Fans (+0 JP)- The setting can now be any existing doujin or other fanwork for the series.

Another Island (+50 JP)- Instead of starting in the Kyoshu Region, you will arrive on a different island like Gokoku. Not much is known about these other regions, so good luck!

Silly Name (+50 JP)- For some reason or another, everyone calls you by a strange name, probably based on something they found by you when you first woke up.

Homebody (+100 JP)- Whatever habitat you start in, you are most comfortable there, and you dislike the idea of going outside your given environment.

Helpful as a Hippo (+100 JP)- The analogy makes sense in context. You give very good advice to people, you just tend to overdo it. You insist on giving advice after advice to people long after they have insisted that they need to get going. Your over-motherly protectiveness sometimes gets out of hand.

Dancing Delight (+100 JP)- You love to spin and dance, but you tend to ignore things and people around you, so be careful or you might crash into them.

Song Stress (+100 JP)- You love to sing whenever possible, especially when you can find an audience. Which might be a little difficult, admittedly, given how your singing voice is terrible. It gives people headaches, and Ceruleans might seek you out just to stop the racket. 23

Unhelpful Commentary (+100 JP)- Yes, it’s very interesting that the crested ibis has a throaty voice like a crow’s, and that its nasally song has been the derisive subject of multiple folk tales – but did you really have to say that right in front of Crested Ibis? You have the unfortunate habit of bringing up the less pleasant aspects of the Friends around you at the most inopportune moments.

Hot and Cold (+100 JP)- You have the tendency to jump from subject to subject with innate curiosity…for however long it lasts. You randomly become curious about things around you, only to lose interest in a few minutes. This curiosity may lead you to taking risks you would rather not take.

Stuck (+100 JP)- You tend to get physically stuck, whether in trees or in burrows. You won’t get hurt, but it’s quite embarrassing, and you won’t be able to get out unless someone helps you.

Shybill (+100 JP)- You are kind of shy and hesitant to speak to people. To compound matters, you have a tendency to give these very unsettling stares that make people think you have negative intentions toward them.

Lazy (+100 JP)- You dislike doing menial work yourself, and while you won’t force people to do the work for you, you will try to con them into helping you, such as refusing to give information until they complete a task for you. If you can’t find anyone to do the work, you’ll try to put off doing the job yourself unless absolutely necessary.

Airhead (+100 JP)- You are rather silly and absent-minded, not really paying close attention to things and being rather slow to realize things that everyone else has already figured out.

Gamer Geek (+100 JP)- You are obsessed with video games and tend to let your knowledge of the games influence your actions outside of them.

Long-Necked Deductions (+100 JP)- A goat and a cat both like to climb, but it is kind of awkward to get them mixed up. You have a tendency of taking different facts and putting them together to reach conclusions that are not even close to being correct. And you get very stubborn about said “deductions”, such that you might accuse people challenging your conclusions as liars.

Long Journey (+200 JP)- You have a strong desire to travel to a specific place in Japari Park. Unfortunately, wherever you want to go will be at the farthest position possible from your starting location. Furthermore, all of your powers and items from outside the jump (as well as Quick Cavalry) are locked until you complete your journey and reach your destination.

Substandard Use (+200 JP)- Sure, your ability to become invisible comes in handy, but did you ever consider that it might work a little better if you turn invisible before you start attacking your opponent? And if your greatest strength is your defense, is a full-out charge really the best idea? You have a poor knowledge on how to use your abilities effectively, and you tend to adopt strategies that miss the true potential of your powers. You might still be able to improve if someone points out the flaws to you, though. 24

Human…Thingies (+200 JP)- Your knowledge of human (and similarly advanced) things is limited to the average knowledge that an animal Friend would have – which is not that much. You can probably figure out some things from studying human books and the like or if you are taught by someone who knows more about that stuff, and you’re still much more advanced than a wild animal, but you’ll easily get confused over human items, even simple challenges like opening a box or cooking food.

Illiterate (+200 JP)- You cannot read or write any written language, though you might be able to still learn to speak it.

Searching…Searching… (+200 JP)- It’s good to plan ahead, but don’t expect everything to go exactly as you thought it would. You get easily flustered by changes that do not match your expectations, like the bridge you expected to cross being washed away. Whenever this happens, you tend to freeze up and stammer until someone snaps you out of your funk.

Tsundinoko (+200 JP)- You have a shy and abrasive personality that makes it difficult for you to admit your true feelings toward people. You especially get nervous and irritated when people start calling you a friend (and you secretly agree with them).

Eager as a Beaver (+200 JP)- Which actually means that you are very UNeager. You are indecisive and hesitant to move forward with projects you plan to undertake, always coming up with new questions and worries that slow down your progress (or even just getting started).

Charge! (+200 JP)- You get overly excited when carrying out tasks and rush forward instead of thinking things through. This tends to get you into trouble.

Rush of the Bull Moose (+200 JP)- You have a very straightforward style of battle “tactics” that influences both you and any other fighters under your command: you charge fully visible at enemies with everyone in a straight line behind you! Even when you are trying to sneak into somewhere, if you find an enemy you won’t be able to resist coming right out into the open and issuing a battle challenge.

Heavyweight (+200 JP)- You’re unusually heavy. This slows you down when moving, and you easily get tired when you exert yourself for extended periods.

Gourmand (+200 JP)- You have a very particular taste that is not satisfied by Japari Buns. You want fine dining experiences, which is kind of tough with the park broken down and most Friends not knowing how to cook things. Any cooking skills you may have already had are now lost.

Great Expressions, There! (+200 JP)- You have a fascination with seeing facial expressions on people, and you’ve found that the best way to get the most interesting expressions is to tell people scary stories and watch their reactions. Not everyone will be appreciative of that.

Animal-Philiac (+200 JP)- You are absolutely obsessed with animals, and you go gaga even thinking about the different species. You often go into daydreams and rants about the various animals you meet, while also drooling, and people will tend to find you a little strange as a result.

Rival War (+300 JP)- A particularly strong and charismatic Friend has deemed you to be a worthy opponent and is determined to fight a “war” against you. Don’t worry, nobody really gets that hurt in the end. The real trouble is that the war just never ends. Your rival refuses to accept any defeat, and she will continuously attack with her “army” of Friends you until she is victorious (or at least reaches a draw with you). And even if you try to let her win, it’s easier said than done, as she continuously fumbles her war tactics and refuses to take any advice from you and your allies; plus, whenever faced with your rival head-on, you instinctively want to go all-out.

Side Quests (+300 JP)- Wherever you go, you constantly end up having to help different Friends with their personal problems before you can make any progress with your own objectives.

Difficult Dream (+300 JP)- You have some sort of special dream you want to accomplish, whether it’s singing or building your own home. However, something, whether it’s a physical trait or a habit you have, keeps setting you back, and you’ll need to overcome your personal challenges to fulfill your dream.

Survival of the Fittest (+300 JP)- While the different Friends tend to keep to themselves in their habitats, they still get along with others, under normal circumstances. Now, though, all Friends are highly territorial and unwilling to help you and others.

System Breakdown (+300 JP)- For the most part, the gradual decay of the park in the absence of humans has only caused minor inconveniences for Friends. Now, though, things are taking a turn for the worse. Whether it’s buildings catching on fire or broken pipes causing floods, the human constructs are breaking down for good – and they’re taking down parts of the habitats with them!

Wild Times (+300 JP)- There is now a significant population of wild, non-Friend animals across the park (for every species of Friend present in the park, assume that there is at least one wild animal counterpart, or even a whole social group, present somewhere). Lacking the intelligence and peaceful intentions of their humanized counterparts, these animals can be dangerous if provoked.

Climate Collision (+300 JP)- The Sandstar at Japari Park is said to keep the dissonant climates of the different habitat zones existing in harmony, but now that balance has been broken. The desert is encroaching on the jungle, the savanna is gathering frost, and more drastic changes may soon be underway.

Protocol (+300 JP)- Now you are bound to the same programming normally given to Lucky Beast robots, such that you must avoid communicating with Friends and interfering with the natural ecosystems unless a human is present or in danger.

Cerulean Bait (+300 JP)- Something about you attracts and irritates Ceruleans, such that they want to destroy you at all costs (this still applies even if you’re a Cerulean yourself).

You Can’t Do Anything At All, Can You? (+400 JP)- Physically, you only have the skills and powers of a mundane human, and all perks are locked for the course of the jump.

Hydrophobia (+400 JP)- You’re rightfully afraid of water, as the slightest contact with it causes the doused part of your body to turn into volcanic obsidian rock for some reason.

Park Renovations (+400 JP)- Whichever area you start out at in the jump, you will find an abandoned human structure of some kind. You need to get it fully operational and regularly utilized by people in the park, and keep it that way until the jump ends to successfully complete the jump. The building’s decayed quite a bit and is in an isolated location, so it’s not going to be easy. As a reward, you can take the structure with you to other jumps.

Amnesia (+400 JP)- You wake up in this world with no memory of who you are or how you got there, and you won’t regain your memories until the jump ends.

Goodbye (+500 JP)- You will become very dear friends with someone during the jump, but at some point, to save you from a grave danger, they will sacrifice themselves; even if you somehow save them, they will lose all their memories in the process.

Countdown to Extinction (+500 JP)- Good news – humanity is still alive outside the park! Bad news is, they’re getting concerned about the threat the Ceruleans pose for the world. Just before the end of the jump, if there are any Ceruleans left at the park, there will be a massive air strike that will erase the entire park and all present on it from existence. To avoid this doomed fate, you’ll need to wipe out every last Cerulean and make sure than there aren’t any resurgences either.

Rise of the Cerulean Empress (+600 JP)- A new, highly-intelligent Cerulean has appeared, and it has all of your powers. Can you stop this unbeatable threat, or will the Ceruleans consume all in their evolution?

Bonus Scenario ~ A Second Chance at the Eternal Dream

What’s this ~? You found a strange amulet laying on the ground, but as soon as you placed the necklace around your head, you were engulfed in a flash of light. When the light fades, you hear a couple of women, one in a lab coat and the other in safari attire, talking to you. Don’t you remember? It’s your first day on the job, and there’s a lot to be done to get Japari Park ready!

You have traveled back in time to the start of it all, when Professor Kako and Captain Mirai began the beautiful dream of exploring and establishing the zoological paradise Japari Park. You are a human member of the research team, and there’s a lot of work to be done – especially when you know what will become of the park in the end if you can’t save it. There are several stages to this quest, and you must get the golden ending for each phase:

Phase I- This covers the early days of Japari Park, in which the park’s infrastructure is still being established and the Friends are being gradually acclimated to human civilization. It’s a bright time with many possibilities, and it’s up to you to make sure all these ambitious dreams are fulfilled. Moreover, you’ll need to bond with the many different Friends in the park, as they all have their own personal issues that they’ll need your help to fully overcome and reach their full potential. You are locked in human form and have no access to any perks or items you have purchased; plus, none of the companions you purchased or imported are present in this time.

Phase II- The first stage of Ceruleans has swept across the park, led by the Cerulean Queen. This is basically like the original mobile game, but you’ll have to do more than just complete the game if you want to prevent the coming disaster. At this point, some of the Ceruleans show surprising intelligence; perhaps there is a way to fulfill the untapped dreams they are reaching out for, without having to steal from the dreams of others. You get back access to the background form you selected for the jump as well as any perks and items connected to your background, but other perks and items, both for this jump and any before it, are still locked away, same with companions.

Phase III- This is the final showdown, and it’s not going to be easy. Everyone thought the Ceruleans were relatively under control, until everything suddenly went wrong. The details of the disaster are vague, but given the severity of the catastrophe, it is clear that this cataclysm is almost impossible to stop. You must save the park from the new, more powerful Ceruleans and ensure the safety of humans and Friends alike. Fortunately, your full set of perks, items, and the like are now accessible, and any companions who were supposed to be with you will somehow find their way to you in your time of need.

If you can beat all the odds and save Japari Park, your reward is the very park itself, complete with all of its features, staff, and inhabitants. The park is linked to your Warehouse, and you can summon it to a location of your choice in each jump. The Sandstar Mountain regularly releases fresh Sandstar, enabling you to give life to tons of Friends. Also, Kako and Mirai will be available as companions.

After you fulfill the bonus scenario, you can choose whether to stay in the new timeline or return to the present of the original timeline, as both still exist (so don’t worry about Kaban – she’ll still exist no matter what).

Fin

It’s been a long journey, but now you must choose where you will go next.

Go Home- You’re sad that it’s already over, but grateful for the many miracles you got to see. You go back to your original world and home territory. You retain all perks, items, companions, and other things you have acquired during your adventures.

Stay- You really adapted to living in Japari Park, and you’ve decided to make it your home for good. You keep all perks, items, companions, and other things you acquired in your adventures.

Next Jump- You’re not quite sure where your destined habitat is, but you want to keep searching for it. So it’s onward to unknown lands, whether alone or with friends by your side.

Notes

If you want to learn more, we’re happy to help! Extra information on the jump and setting can be found below.

Kid-Friendly- To give you an example of how the perk works, let’s say that someone either accidentally or intentionally shoves you off a cliff. Since falling off a cliff would count as a “natural” accident, you wouldn’t be hurt much by the fall. Even if the person did it intentionally, since he or she left the cliff to do the dirty work for you, it would count as an accident and qualify for protection. If the person stabbed you with a sword before knocking you off, though, the sword strike would not qualify for protection.

Friends- A “Friend” is basically a human version of the species it is initially based on. All Friends appear to be normal-sized, female humans of ages ranging from 6 to 25 years old; Friends of species significantly larger or smaller than humans will shift to a suitable size, perhaps being just slightly larger or smaller than the norm. Friends generally have human faces and bodies, but also retain physical features of their species such as cat ears and tails. Other distinct physical features are integrated into special clothes that the Friend is born wearing. All these physical features, including the ones embedded in the clothes, are fully functional as they would be on the normal version of the creature, and they likewise retain any special qualities they had (aquatic Friends’ clothes are adapted for swimming, etc.). While the clothes can be taken off, they don’t get old or dirty in the same way as regular clothes, since they are manifestations of the Friend’s “skin”, so to speak. If a Friend loses her clothes she can summon a new one onto her person.

The Sandstar’s magic helps sustain the Friend’s form, and it empowers the Friend such that beneficial physical features of the original species that would normally be neutralized in the humanoid form can still be accessed; for instance a bird Friend whose only “wings” are now a small, decorative pair on her head could still use those wings to fly (in a manner that is now closer to levitation), a beaver Friend with human teeth could still easily gnaw a tree down, and a wolf Friend with a human-like face and nose would still retain her superior sense of smell. In addition, these natural features are sometimes enhanced by the Sandstar magic to be even better than the original version, such that a chameleon’s color-changing ability would become full invisibility.

All Friends are female, but generally are not capable of reproduction unless additional modifications were made to their bodies. If the original subject exposed to the Sandstar was male, the Friend will still be female but retain any key physical characteristics unique to the male counterpart, such as brighter plumage in the case of certain birds. Friends are generally born with a female sense of identity, though male instincts may influence aspects of their behavior.

For the most part, violent instincts and behavior from the original species are naturally redirected to peaceful outlooks in Friends. At most, aggressive and predatory species of Friends may enjoy “predator and prey chase” and “war” games, but these are in fact playful games that are voluntary for all parties involved and do not lead to serious injury. Furthermore, many predatory and aggressive species are completely uninterested in such behavior as Friends, preferring to simply enjoy a peaceful lifestyle.

As for social instincts and behavior of the original species, they influence the personality and actions of Friends, but the social elements are altered to account for the potential lack of more than one member of a species as a Friend. Friends are able to live in relative isolation on their own without feeling depressed like they would as animals while on the flipside having territorial feelings towards others lowered. Furthermore, Friends often apply whatever social knowledge they inherit to people as a whole, even ones not of their own species; prairie dogs apply their tradition of kiss greetings to anyone they meet, and some predatory Friends have formed “packs”, “herds”, and “prides” with other species, even ones who would normally be considered prey or predators to the leader.

Overall, Friends are at the border between “wild” and “civilized”. They are quite intelligent and capable of human ingenuity, when they feel like it. However, they largely prefer to maintain the lifestyle they had as animals and live in the wilderness. Usually it takes an outside person to get them on the right track to using and fixing human constructs such as bridges and houses. And while some of them are interested in human things such as technology, many of them are content with life in the wild. Essentially, they are simple people who enjoy simple things in life, yet are strong in heart and in body.

Animals can become Friends through exposure to Sandstar fragments. If the animal is alive at the time of contact with the Sandstar, the Friend will retain her past memories, albeit with a more sapient outlook to them. If the Sandstar makes contact with dead or ejected material (hair, bones, etc.) from an animal, the Friend will use said animal as the framework for its body and mindset, 32 but will be her own separate individual; therefore, while Sandstar can give new life to dead beings, it should not be considered resurrection or reincarnation.

While most Friends are currently based on non-sapient species of animals, it is possible for Sandstar to make Friends from already-intelligent lifeforms. If a sapient being is exposed to Sandstar, it may make a will save to resist the transformation and/or mental adjustments (it is possible to choose to resist just one of the two aspects, or to resist both). However, as Sandstar can use dead organic matter as a blueprint to copy from, Friends made from the deceased bodies of intelligent creatures are not granted a will save, since the Friend is being made from scratch. If the intelligent species did not have ingrained natural instincts to transfer over to its Friend self, the Friend will instead be able to unconsciously draw on pieces of knowledge from the original being’s memories, generally when the information will be useful.

Friends are essentially ageless and are especially hardy against diseases and physical damage, but there is one certain way that they can “die” besides through intensive physical trauma. Friends are created through Sandstar, and the magical substance runs invisibly throughout their bodies as the backbone of that form. If all of the Sandstar is lost from a Friend’s body, the Friend will revert to what her original form was before becoming a Friend. In the case that the original body was not sapient, the being will lose any memories and intelligence that it gained as a Friend. However, beings that were already intelligent prior to becoming a Friend will retain their intelligence and memories accordingly; this also applies to Friends made from the dead matter of a sapient lifeform.

Fortunately, it is virtually impossible for a Friend to lose all of her Sandstar essence without outside intervention. Sandstar naturally replenishes when the user is exposed to nature, eats food, sleeps, or exercises, so expended Sandstar can usually be replaced easily. Every Friend’s biological systems are set up so that there is a small reserve of Sandstar that the Friend can never access; therefore, if a Friend were to be nearly out of Sandstar and attempt to draw on her Sandstar to complete a task, rather than use up her Sandstar the Friend would simply be unable to use any sandstar until more returned to her. For a Friend to lose all of her Sandstar, someone would have to deliberately drain all of the Sandstar from her body, which is difficult to do. Unfortunately, the Ceruleans have specifically evolved to feed on Sandstar and can completely drain a Friend that is devoured.

Humans Vs. Human Friends- The Human background refers to normal humans like the ones who set up the park. Since Sandstar works on intelligent lifeforms just as well as wild animals, Human Friends are essentially humans who, whether or alive or dead, were turned into Friends via Sandstar. They functionally have the form and abilities of a mundane human, but internally they are composed of Sandstar. If they lost their Sandstar, they would revert to the form of a regular human.

Ceruleans- Also known as “Cellians”, these enigmatic monsters appear when Sandstar mixes with inorganic matter. Unlike Friends, Ceruleans generally lack humanoid forms and tend to be mindless, forming more of a hive mind than anything else. They could perhaps be compared to algae or bacteria, and their goals in life are quite simple: eat and breed. As a result, if they are 33 not culled, they will quickly overwhelm ecosystems, consuming all Sandstar and life energy they can.

Ceruleans are the “natural” enemy of Friends, since their primary diet is the Sandstar that gives sapience to Friends. It is unclear if Ceruleans are a threat to humans as well, but given how the park had to be evacuated, it would be best not to underestimate them.

It’s important to realize that Cerulean biology is foreign from most organic lifeforms. It does not have a necessarily singular existence, and it will often split itself up into multiple Ceruleans when it has accumulated enough energy and size. This also means that it can fluidly distort its shape and size in ways that other lifeforms cannot.

Generally, Ceruleans have a core that, if destroyed, will destroy the Cerulean entirely. However, it is not always easy to find or reach these weak spots.

Four Gods- Four powerful Friends based off Chinese mythical beasts: Genbu, the Black Tortoise; Byakko, the White Tiger; Seiryu, the Azure Dragon; and Suzaku, the Vermillion Phoenix. Each of them had incredible magical power granted by the Sandstar, and they could also create “Cerulean” projections.

Credits

A big thanks to NikaMoth for helping with ideas.

Change Log

1.4- Added extra information on Friends and Human Friends, changed spacing to single, experimented with backgrounds/shading.